Huge Martian Dust Devil Churns in New Photo

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A gigantic dust devil races across the surface of Mars in a
stunning new photo snapped by a NASA spacecraft.

NASA's
Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) captured the 12
mile-high (20 kilometer) twister as it whirled its way through
the Amazonis Planitia region of northern Mars on March 14.
Despite its towering height, the dust devil is just 210 feet (64
meters) wide, researchers said.

The plume's shadow is also clearly visible in the new image, as
are some topographic features on the Red Planet's complex
surface.

Dust devils occur on both Earth and
Mars. They are spinning columns of air, made visible by the
dirt they suck off the ground. Unlike tornados,
dust devils usually form on clear days when the ground soaks
up heat from the sun. If conditions are right, heated air near
the surface may begin to rotate as it rises through small pockets
of cooler air just above it.

Just as on Earth, Martian winds are fueled by solar heating.
Though Mars is now near aphelion — the time of Martian year when
the Red Planet is farthest from the sun — it still receives
enough solar energy to drive dust devils across its surface.

The new image was taken during Mars' late northern spring, two
weeks short of the northern summer solstice— a time when the
ground in the northern mid-latitudes is being heated most
strongly by the sun, researchers said.

MRO has been examining Mars with six science instruments since
arriving at the Red Planet in March 2006. The spacecraft
continues to provide valuable insights into the planet's ancient
environment and how processes such as wind, meteorite impacts and
seasonal frosts are continuing to affect the surface of Mars
today, NASA officials said.

NASA launched MRO in September 2005. The $720 million mission is
NASA's youngest Mars orbiter flight to date, but it has beamed
more data to Earth than all other interplanetary missions
combined.

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